It was kind of the two ladies to be sensitive to his feelings. If they knew the truth...

"Keep your eye on tomorrow"[/color] Smokey sang to him. "Possibilities of a new day. Victories brought in a unique way, they'll be yours tomorrow." This was a song that Smokey had sung to him almost continuously for a long, long while when he was young. Temmit thought that his mother must also have sung it to him.

"It's ok, friend. Temmit said to Smokey. "But thanks."

"Yeah." Temmit acknowledged the scenario. "I assume it won't be an issue to get a half hand of his time while he's here?" He directed his question at Emma, who would be more likely to be able arrange that interview.

"How old is this kid, that he's still out on the Rim instead of here in school?"

Emma replied, "I have already arranged it. Just about the easiest setup of the three actually."

She looked over at some kids goofing off, thought better of telling them to shush, then continued. "He is only thirteen, but his diasppearance began during the FallEnd school break, while he was at home in the South."

Emma couldn't take the noise anymore coming from some of the more playful kids, and stepped out of the conversation to slow them down. Renee took the opportunity to ask Temmit a question.

"After the meeting, could you stay behind a moment? I have one more thing to speak with you in private."

Temmit was about to embark upon one of his typical responses; he still needed to talk to her as well. But as his mouth began to work, tracking his mind, Emma's earlier admonishment presented itself and he smiled slightly.

"Sure." He said simply, looking into her eyes.

Then his eye squinted a bit and he regarded her a little more closely. "Is that how it's supposed to be done?" He asked in uncharacteristic joking.

"I can only guess." Temmit said, having returned to his customary demeanor. "There are a great many things that have gone on this night...our young leader must be struck by glee, I suppose." He never took his coal-colored eyes off of Renee.

"Actually," he began, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I had a conversation topic for Renee that you might want to hear as well." While he spoke, he took Smokey out from under this shirt and draped the quartz crystal over his back. Many students had noted this habit of Temmit's over the years, but he thought that none suspected its true purpose: to have a look-out hanging on his back.

Satisfied that no one was there trying to listen in on their conversation, he leaned in a bit more closely. "Are you ready?" He asked Renee, who seemed to be having trouble getting hold of herself.

Renee finally stopped giggling but her face was all flush and her eyes wet with tears, she managed a "mm hmm" in acknowledgement while wiping her face.

Emma however became very serious.

Matching Temmit's conspiratorial tone she asked him, "wait wait wait, you didn't actually tell a joke and I missed it?" Emma, not the typical one to tease, was looking at Temmit with such facetiousness that Renee broke back out in laughter.

She laughed so hard that she started to plead for help "Oh no, hurts, can't catch my breathe...."

Emma and Temmit gave her another few moments to collect herself which she did at great difficulty. Neither of them had ever seen the girl so relaxed and happy at a meeting before. This truly was a grand night.

While Emma rubbed her back and tried not to smile or tease Temmit, lest she start the whole thing over again, Temmit looked behind them. Some kids were starting to filter out of the room and no one approached, he caught Harrison looking at them, but then he turned away to Leslie who had Clive standing on her shoulder.

Let's note that Temmit would not have looked behind him, perse, because Smokey's got that covered.

That said...

"I wanted to talk quickly about heaping too much praise on certain folks during meetings." He held Renee's gaze pointedly. "I realize how important it is to praise people, but be aware. Certain...incredibly genious and crafty sources..." he borrowed her own phrasing from the meeting only just over. "...aren't old enough to be able to shield their thoughts well."

He held up a long, stilling hand to forestall rebuttal. "As I say, it's good to praise, but anyone looking at your source's face would easily have been able to read that this was indeed the one of whom you spoke. I just advise caution. Praise in public, grand praise in private."

As he spoke, he could hear Emma's taunting about Temmit's tendency to be overly stuffy. *Especially* for a child. But then Temmit hadn't been a child in a lot of years.

"Well said sir," Renee said, the glee in her face softening to a memory as she regained composure of who she was.

"I would have to agree with Temmit on that one Renee. Our...'source' has been fidgety all week at school, the kid couldn't wait until tonight," Emma stated. "For her own protection we need to be more careful, perhaps take her aside and remind the kid how dangerous the work is."

Renee looked at them both and nodded. "I agree. Temmit, perhaps it is time you told her you know?"

Temmit looked at Renee in his typically stoic, monotonous way. "All right." He said. "I'll find a convenient time to have a private conversation. Although that won't assuage the source's fidgeting under pressure. Only time will get us there. But I'll say no more on it. Thanks for listening."

"Ah, dear Temmit," Renee began but she paused and did something odd, she took her hand and cupped it aroound the back of his neck, touching his skin softly just above the chain that held smokey. "Do you not think that her knowing that you know will at least allow her some intense pride? Do you know how much she looks up to you?"

The soft touch of her fingers were sending shock waves down his spine.

"Emotions for us girls can be powerful things, it isn't all about logic..."

Temmit was losing his logic.

"... sometimes someone just has to be touched in the right way by a friend," as Renee said the last word she had pulled her hand from his neck and touched his nose with the same finger.

Emma looked at the two of them and rolled her eyes. "Do we have any more business to discuss, or are you not done melting your lieutenant?"

Renee took her gaze away from Temmit and put her hands behind her back. She looked at Emma and twisted her hips slightly back and forth in a mockery of innocence. "You will be leader soon Emma," she said to her with a smile, "can't always be stoic like this one."